ShoXC Elite Challengers Series 9/26 Re-Cap

ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series

Mauro Ranallo and Stephen Quadros will be doing the announcing tonight.

Welterweight Fight- Erik Apple vs Matt Makowski (3-0)

Apple has not fought in the last year and a half, Makowski’s last victory was against Nick Serra. Makowski spent the last three weeks with Greg Jackson training.

R1- Apple came out quick but Matt caught him and took him down but Apple flipped him over and is in Matt’s guard. Matt has an active guard as he went for some submissions but Apple denied him. Apple went for a kimura but Matt slipped out. Apple is really dominating the positioning so far but hasn’t landed a lot of damage. Apple takes this round 10-9 and really controlled almost the entire round but didn’t land much damage.

R2- Apple got some kicks in at the beginning of the round and then Matt pulled guard with a guillotine. Definitely a questionable move since he spent almost the entire first round on his back. Apple got out and is in half guard. Matt gave up his back with 2 minutes left in the round and then tapped to a Rear Naked Choke.

This fight was pretty much all Apple as he was just too experienced and seemed to impose his will on Makowski in this fight. I think Elite XC will probably push Apple as they are in need of contenders for Jake Shields.

Winner: Erik Apple by Rear Naked Choke R2 2:04.

Middleweight Fight- Giva Santana (11-0) vs. Jaime Jara (19-5)

Jara is 39 years old, kind of out of place for a show like this that should be focusing on more young and up and coming fighters. Santana is also up there in years at 36.

R1- Santana eats a punch and Jara pulls guard with a guillotine but Santana gets out and is in side control. Santana moves to half guard and then gets a mount and then takes Jara’s back. Santana is getting some shots in but doesn’t seem to want to go for the choke. Back to their feet with 1 minute left in the round. Santana got another take down at the end of the round. Santana wins this round 10-9.

R2- Santana got knocked down at the beginning of the round, looked more like a slip, but Jara didn’t attack. Santana went for a heel hook but Jara got out pretty easily and then hit a jab. Jara hit a big left hand that floored Santana but again didn’t follow up due to Santana’s jiu jitsu. Santana got a take down but Jara got right back up. Jara got some shots in on the cage but Santana clinched to stop the onslaught. Jara takes this round and its 19-19 after 2 rounds with Jara with the momentum.

R3- Both guys are throwing shots to start the round. Jara’s eye is bleeding but he remains the aggressor. Santana shoots but can’t get the take down. Santana landed a good right and then followed with a leg kick. Santana with another body kick and then they clinch with one minute left. Jara gets in a couple of strikes as they clinch again with 20 seconds left. Santana hits a knee with about 5 seconds left. Close round, I think Santana is going to take it as he messed up Jara’s face pretty good with some strikes in the third round. Neither guy really distanced themselves in this fight as the better fighter.

Judges scores are: 29-28 Jara, 29-28 Santana and 29-28 Jara.

Interesting decision, can’t say that I agree or disagree with it but I thought Santana would get the win due to damage. I see a re-match at the next Challengers show.

Winner: Jaime Jara by Decision (Split)

Featherweight Fight- Malaipet (3-2) vs. David Douglas (5-1)

Malaipet came in 4.5 lbs overweight. Douglas agreed to fight so will be giving up 10% of his purse to Douglas and 10% to the California State Athletic Commission. Douglas is a Cesar Gracie trainee. Malaipet is a Muy Thai fighter.

R1- Douglas storms to the center of the ring and it’s on! Douglas with a take down 5 seconds into the fight. Douglas gets free and hits several punches and is taking it to Malaipet. Lots of Ground and Pound by Douglas. Malaipet finally rolls him over but gets caught in a triangle that looks more like a head scissors move as he doesn’t have a choke in. Back to their feet and Douglas backs him down against the cage and delivers a big shot. Douglas looks hurt as Malaipet caught him. Malaipet then hit a kick and Douglas fell down awkwardly backwards. Douglas is laying on his back resting. Ref stands up Douglas. Douglas goes for a take down and gets it. Back to their feet and Malaipet ends the round with a flurry. Great first round. I think Malaipet took it as Douglas won the first half but just gassed and looked beaten at several times in the second half of the first round.

R2- Douglas went for a take down but was denied and then ate a knee. Malaipet hitting strikes. Douglas trying to come back by throwing wild strikes. Malaipet throws another knee. Douglas once again just laying down and resting. Back on their feet and Malaipet with leg kicks. Douglas gets a take down. They are stood up but Douglas gets another take down. Douglas mounts Malaipet and is getting some strikes in. Douglas got in a bunch of strikes but didn’t have much power behind them. Douglas finished really strong in this round. Fight could be going either way so far. Malaipet definitely is the fresher fighter.

R3- Malaipet jumped at Douglas and Douglas caught him and took him down. Douglas in half guard getting some Ground and Pound and then takes side control. Douglas in the mounted Ground and Pound position know and Malaipet is busted open. Douglas doesn’t have much on his punches right now. Douglas just continuing to pepper Malaipet with light strikes and the ref finally stops the fight.

This was a fun fight. If Douglas gets some cardio he could be a good fighter. Malaipet is real raw but has talent if he can learn the ground.

Winner: David Douglas by TKO (strikes) R3 2:51

Heavyweight Fight- Shane Del Rosario (4-0) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (4-0)

This is the “Semi” Main Event. Both fighters are undefeated so far and have finished all of their fighters- Carl with 4 KOs and Shane with 3 KOs and 1 Submission.

R1- Carl gets a throw early to get a take down and he’s in full guard. Shane gets a triangle attempt from the bottom. Carl tries a slam to get out of it but can’t. Shane seems to have the move locked in pretty well but Carl slips out and passes guard. Carl goes for an arm bar but Shane escapes. Carl is now in half guard. Carl moves to north/south position and now to side control. Carl ends the round in the dominate position. Close round as Carl was in a dominate position for about 3-4 minutes of the round but Shane was closer to victory with the submission triangle attempt. Carl probably takes this round 10-9.

R2- Carl went for a take down early and got stuffed. Carl got stuffed again and Shane hit some knees and strikes and finished the fight.

Winner: Shane Del Rosario by TKO (strikes) R2 1:07

Elite XC Bantamweight Title Fight- Wilson Reis (5-0) vs. Abel Cullum (11-1)

This is for the vacant Elite XC Bantamweight Title. Reis was on the 7/26 Showtime card and won by unanimous decision. Reis was strong on the ground but showed a lot of opportunity in the stand up game. Cullum is the King of the Cage 130lb champion and has a 10 fight win streak and is stepping up in weight to take this fight. Cullum has a 4” reach advantage.

R1- Reis got a quick take down. Reis passes guard and tries to mount but Cullum is actively defending and ends up on top but then Reis goes for an arm bar and Cullum flips out and gets back to his feet. Some nifty ground work so far. Reis catches a leg kick and gets a take down again. Cullum gets to his feet but gets taken down again. Cullum is doing a good job defending so far. Cullum stands up again, and again gets taken back down. Lots of action early with most of it being on the ground. Reis dominated in terms of positioning and won the round. Reis 10-9. Good first round.

R2- Cullum threw a couple of shots and then Reis took him down again. Cullum with some elbows from the bottom. Reis went for the back but Cullum slipped out and Reis again on top. Cullum doing a good job being slippery and switches positions and is in Reis’ guard. Cullum is getting some Ground and Pound from the guard position. Reis goes for the arm bar from the bottom but Cullum slips out again and is once again in full guard. Cullum getting more shots in. Reis goes for the arm bar again from the bottom but can’t get it so goes for the leg and then goes to full mount and an arm triangle attempt but can’t finish with anything and ends up in the guard. Really good round and could have gone either way as Cullum got in a lot of strikes and Reis got in a few submission attempts near the end of the round.

R3- Reis landed a good shot about 20 seconds into the round and then got a take down. Back to their feet and they clinch as Cullum hits some knees. Reis shots in and gets another take down. Reis is denied from taking the back and Cullum reverses position and is now in full guard. Reis goes for an arm bar but Cullum rolls out and then Reis reverses position so he’s in full guard now. Reis gets Cullum’s back but Cullum squeezes out of it and reverses so he’s in Reis’s guard to end the round. Another solid round. This one goes to Reis due to his positioning and control of the round.

R4- They go back and forth a little of their feet. Reis gets a take down. Reis again controlled the ground and too this round but couldn’t finish.

R5- Reis got a take down and is in Cullum’s guard. Reis controlled for the first 3 minutes, Cullum briefly rolled over but Reis quickly reversed. Reis went the rest of the way in Cullum’s guard and it looks like he will take this fight by a pretty wide score.

Judges score cards are: 49-46, 48-47 and 49-46 for Reis.

Winner and new champion: Wilson Reis by Decision (Unanimous)